


The London and Other London Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by abbeghoul



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Other, [raises hand] i think azu and zolf deserve to treat themselves, somehow it turned into talking about azu/cel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22777978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abbeghoul/pseuds/abbeghoul
Summary: Book club with Azu was one of Zolf’s favorite things in the world. They met every week, and they had rules in place.Number One: They only read romance books. In part because they both loved them, and in part because it was the genre least likely to add extra stress to their lives.Number Two: They never met without some kind of alcohol, usually their favorite, cheap bubbly.Number Three: No significant others or even dear friends allowed. They’d tried to include other people, but Sasha, Grizzop, and Cel didn’t like to read much, and Hamid and Wilde always turned their noses up at the quality of the writing.Number Four: It’s a book club, but gossip is encouraged.
Relationships: (mentioned) - Relationship, Azu & Zolf Smith, Azu/Celiquilliton "Cel" Sidebottom
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49





	The London and Other London Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DrowningInStarlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningInStarlight/gifts).



> Happy birthday Rowan! Sorry it wasn't strictly azu and zolf it kind of got away from me

“Sorry I’m late. They were out of our usual at the closest liquor store so I had to get Cel to drive me to the other one,” Azu said, not even giving Zolf a chance to speak as he opened the door. She was holding up two sparkling pink bottles of Bitch Bubbly, and there was an almost frantic look on her face.

“Thank God you did. I couldn’t do this without a whole bottle to myself.” Zolf grabbed one of the bubbles and turned on his heels to walk back to the couch.

“I know, right?” Azu closed the door behind her before collapsing on the other side of the couch. “ _Can you believe William?_ ”

“No, I can’t!” Zolf huffed. “Choosing _Elizabeth_ over Christine? What was he _thinking?_ ” Zolf reached forward as he was talking to grab the bottle opener from the coffee table. He opened a bottle and poured two generous glasses, handing one to Azu.

“Personally, I still think Elizabeth and Christine are way too good for him.” Azu took a big sip of her wine before continuing. “They should have-“

“ _Run off together,_ you’re absolutely right,” Zolf pointed at her emphatically. “But _noooo_ , Elizabeth _had_ to go and write that letter to Christine’s parents.”

“It’s ridiculous!” Azu agreed. “I threw my book when I read that scene.” She grinned, almost sheepishly. “It hit Cel.”

Zolf laughed, a wide, open laugh, that caused his whole body to shake.

Book club with Azu was one of Zolf’s favorite things in the world. They met every week, and they had rules in place.

Number One: They only read romance books. In part because they both loved them, and in part because it was the genre least likely to add extra stress to their lives.

Number Two: They never met without some kind of alcohol, usually their favorite, cheap bubbly.

Number Three: No significant others or even dear friends allowed. They’d _tried_ to include other people, but Sasha, Grizzop, and Cel didn’t like to read much, and Hamid and Wilde always turned their noses up at the quality of the writing.

Number Four: It’s a book club, but gossip is encouraged.

So, every Thursday night, they took over a full apartment to themselves, stretched out over a couch, opened a bottle or two (or three, for the really dramatic weeks), and talked about the book and what was going on in their lives.

It was freeing, to have this outlet. Zolf hadn’t really _had_ this kind of friend before Azu, and he enjoyed her company more than he thought he ever could.

“I bet they loved that,” Zolf said through a grin.

“They didn’t even notice! They were busy tinkering with their newest invention, and you know how they get,” Azu said fondly.

“I bet you could chuck that ring at them when they’re working on a new invention and they wouldn’t notice,” Zolf teased. “Assuming you haven’t already proposed.”

Azu groaned. “I haven’t figured out how to yet! It needs to be perfect, and you know-“

“Yes, I know, there are specific traditions for proposals you want to follow. But you’re not waiting for that, you’re waiting because you’re nervous.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Azu nodded, paused, then downed the rest of her glass. “I have a right to be. Besides, it’s not like _you’ve_ proposed to anyone, so don’t even start.”

“That’s just- that’s _not fair,_ I’ve been married!” Zolf protested.

Azu looked him straight on. “Platonically. To a pirate. To get out of legal trouble. And _they_ proposed to _you_ ,” she glared, pointedly. “Besides, that marriage literally only lasted a year so you wouldn’t end up in jail. It’s _not_ the same as being in love with someone and proposing to them.”

“Well, you could always do what Henry did in _Midnight Affair_.”

Azu snorted. “You mean just wait for them to find the ring? No, that won’t work, I’ve hidden it too well. No one could find it.”

“You mean the gold one with the rose on it?” a voice came from behind them. Zolf and Azu turned quickly, splashing their drinks on the couch.

“ _Sasha!_ ” Zolf chastised.

“We thought you were gone,” Azu said. “And _when_ did you see the ring?”

“Last week when I was over at your place,” Sasha replied nonchalantly. “The top of the cupboard isn’t a _bad_ hiding place, admittedly, since you’re so tall, but not impossible to find.”

“W- _last week?_ ” Azu asked, incredulously. “You weren’t _at_ my place last week.”

Sasha blinked at her. “Yeah, I was. You were… I dunno, out somewhere?”

“Sasha, what are you even _doing_ here?” Zolf asked through his laughter.

“I just came to pick up my whiskey.” She brandished a dark bottle.

Zolf squinted at the label. “Sasha that’s _my_ whiskey.”

“No, yours is still in your cabinet. I hid mine here when Brock visited last week. He’s gotten really good at finding things,” she smiled proudly. “He’s also started drinking, so I figured I should hide all my whiskey before he gets into it.”

“He’s underage _,_ ” Azu said. “He wouldn’t drink your good whiskey.”

Sasha looked at her. “Yeah, he’s a _teenager_. Anyways, I hid it under your bed, Zolf.”

Zolf stared. “ _When?_ ”

“Two weeks ago.”

“But-“

“Sasha, how do you keep getting into our apartments?”

“You guys have really bad locks,” she shrugged. “What are you two talking about, anyway?’

Zolf and Azu shared a look. Their book club meetings were strictly Azu-and-Zolf-only days, but maybe if they told Sasha she’d be less interested and they could get back to gossiping.

“The new Harrison Campbell novel,” Zolf told her.

“Oh, yeah, I know him, good guy,” she said casually. “See ya.”

“ _Wait!_ ” Azu yelled. “ _What do you mean you know him?_ ”

“Yeah, I met him the other night in an alleyway outside a pub,” she said casually. “Nice guy, a bit timid. I think he was hiding from someone, actually.”

Azu gasped. “ _Who?_ ”

Sasha shrugged. “I dunno, some big, loud man in the pub was yelling, maybe from him? I didn’t ask, really.” She turned towards the door again. “You should get better locks, by the way, maybe make it more of a challenge to break in. I think I might be getting out of practice.” She left before they could protest and demand more information about Campbell.

Zolf and Azu looked at each other, shrugged, then opened the second bottle of wine.

**Author's Note:**

> [Bitch Bubbly,](https://www.worldmarket.com/product/bitch-bubbly-rose-split-bottle.do) for reference


End file.
